SasuSaku Love Arrows
by Marquise de Nile
Summary: A collection of SasuSaku stories, various genres, ratings K-M. 05. Awake (4) - After Sasuke wakes up from a year in coma. The last part.
1. No Regrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter rating: K

Summary: Sakura doesn't want to die, feeling regret.

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**No Regrets**

The war was coming to the end, Sakura along with everyone else on this wretched battlefield knew it instinctively as they all put their very souls in the last, big attack to destroy the Ten-Tails. They knew it in their weary minds and hearts, they could taste the inevitable climax to the story of their lives in the air they breathed – though whether the ultimate verdict would be the damnation or salvation no one could tell yet. However, at the moment all the shinobis didn't regret anything and were ready to face their destiny head on, taking pride in the fact that they never surrendered to the terror of Akatsuki.

Now all that was left was to see the results of their gamble.

Most of ninjas fell to their knees, too spent and chakra-deprived to stay upright, but there were still some with enough energy to remain standing. Among those was one pink-haired kunoichi, who somehow during the fighting managed to gravitate towards her old teammates. Team Seven, reunited after so many years, was standing strong side by side and that was enough to fill Sakura with an overwhelming joy.

Finally, they felt complete and that was enough for her. Even if they were going to perish in the end, this one moment was worth it all.

Sakura didn't look at the Juubi, instead taking the time to drink in the perfect sight of her team. She carefully perused Naruto's tired but determined expression, the Will of Fire burning brightly in his eyes, his shoulders squared as he prepared to take on any counterattack the beast might retaliate with and she couldn't help but feel the admiration and pride swell within her. In this moment, Naruto looked like a Hokage and she realized that in her heart he already was one – the Hokage she most respected and loved, the Hokage she would plead allegiance to and always follow, even to the ends of the earth.

_Though there's someone more devoted to Naruto than even me_, Sakura smiled to herself as she noticed Hinata's hand wrapped in his own tightly. She felt happy, knowing that there was a person who gave him what she never could – a true, selfless love.

There were many times Sakura had beaten herself over it, but no matter how much internal berating she had done, no matter how much guilt she had drowned herself in, Sakura couldn't change her feelings. She could never make herself fall in love with Naruto, because her heart had been stolen a long time ago – and the thief was standing right next to her.

The twinge in her chest, as she slowly surveyed Sasuke's handsome visage, still emanating his usual brand of masculine confidence, his aura no longer tainted by a hateful malice, could be only described as sublimely painful. Her love for this man had always been a constant source of anguish to the kunoichi, yet it persisted through the betrayals, steadfast and unchanging. It was the absolute dogma of her existence.

Sasuke must have felt her looking at him, because he turned her way and his intense, dark eyes locked with her green ones. A charge seemed to go off between the two of them and she found herself unable to tear her gaze away, feeling exposed and vulnerable before him as he was reading her as easily as an open book.

She could never lie well to those she loved.

A deafening boom shook the ground and Sakura remembered just where they were. Death was waiting for them and she was determined to face it with her head held high, however there was still one thing she needed to do before she was truly ready for it.

Her resolve made, the kunoichi stepped up to Sasuke, purposely breaching his personal bubble, which action would usually be met with an instant, harsh rebuke from the man, however not this time. Never breaking their eye-contact, she reached out and cupped his cheek gently, but even then he didn't react, calmly allowing her to do as she pleased. Relieved that he wouldn't stop her, Sakura braced her other hand on his shoulder and leaned up, her lips brushing against his in a kiss as delicate as a butterfly. She held it there for barely a second, then eased back slightly.

"I... don't want to have any regrets," she answered his unvoiced question quietly and turned to back off and give him his space. She couldn't expect him to return her affections, but at least he accepted them and it was enough. It had to be enough. Another explosion rumbled from the direction of the wounded Juubi.

A large hand on her arm stopped Sakura in her tracks. Too shocked to resist its pull, she didn't object when her body was yanked back and pressed against a warm and very male frame.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered as she looked up at him in utter bewilderment.

"Do it again," he asked, no, he demanded, an unusual, hard glint visible in his eyes.

"W-what?" she stammered out, disbelievingly.

"Sakura," he growled out in warning and she stiffened in his hold. "Do it again. Like you mean it," he ordered harshly and this time she reacted. Hesitating, she leaned up again and gently pressed her lips to his just a little bit harder than the last time.

Sasuke wasn't exactly known for his patience but it still startled her when one of his hands cupped the back of her head, bringing her closer as he fervently reciprocated the kiss, turning it from fairly chaste to increasingly heated. Sakura's mind blanked at that, absorbed by the furious clash of lips, teeth and tongues she zealously lost herself in. He was taking from her again, plundering the treasury of her heart but this time she was stealing from him, too, getting back what was long overdue.

Both of them wouldn't have it any other way.

And the ground quaked underneath their feet, the rumbling and crashing and howling so unbearably loud as if the sheer volume was only needed to signal that the end was here, but never did they break the kiss, because it was meant to last a lifetime never lived, a lifetime full of joy, laughter and light.

The sounds were becoming muted until only silence reigned over the battlefield. The short transition between the two extremes was painful, yet they still didn't care, gliding their tongues together in a deep, languid kiss, wholly consumed by each other. At this point, nothing else existed.

Then, a familiar voice screamed out, "We won!" and the roar of cheers erupted from thousands of throats.

The Juubi didn't survive the final attack of the Shinobi Alliance.

The war was over.

Sakura tentatively opened her eyes, her vision blurry for a second from a few unshed tears, and giving a last lick to his lips, drew back. She didn't want to look at him, too afraid of his reaction. She didn't want to see his stony, unapologetic expression. They have been lost in each other like real lovers just a moment ago and if she saw in him the lack of acknowledgment, it would hurt her more than any torture she could possibly imagine. She tried to back away from him, but he didn't allow it, his hands holding her firmly in place.

"Sakura. Look at me," he rasped out, his voice thick with some heavy emotion.

She reluctantly raised her gaze, trembling minutely in his arms.

"I don't regret anything," he told her and the weight carried by such simple, but powerful words, just because it was Sasuke who said them, was enough to make her believe him in a heartbeat.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." A small smile brightened her features like a first ray of a new, better day.

* * *

_AN: So, I decided to start another anthology of SasuSaku stories. You can expect to find here various genres_, _continuations to my oneshots from Against the Odds, story ideas which never made it in there and, most importantly, lots of SasuSaku :) The ratings will range from K to M.  
_

_About this first installment, it was inspired by manga chapter 647. I just thought I needed to make that kiss every SasuSaku fan wants to see to be Sakura's idea for once. I realize the beginning seems kind of stiff, but it means that I just need to get back into writing, haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story._

_Thanks for reading!_


	2. Awake (1)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Rating: M for themes

Summary: After Sasuke wakes up from a year in coma. Continuation of "Ocean of Eternity" ( /s/9447389/30/Against-the-Odds), reading it is optional.

* * *

**Awake (1)**

**Limits**

* * *

It was just a second day after his awakening from the coma and Sasuke was already restless. The prospect of passively laying down and resting when he has been already doing it (albeit unconsciously) for a whole year was outright unbearable. His finally active mind practically cried out for some sort of physical exercise. He needed to move, now.

That's why, not caring at all that no one was around to monitor him, he flung off the covers decisively and shifted his legs over the edge of the bed before propping himself up on his hands and lifting his torso upright into a sitting position. The strain caused an almost immediate shaking of his arm muscles, which surprised him but didn't diminish his determination to get up and do something.

Sasuke gathered all his strength and haltingly stood up. He had to brace himself against the nightstand as he struggled to stay on his feet, however the obvious weakness plaguing his body, caused by a prolonged state of disuse, only fueled his will to go on and overcome his limitations.

Some would call it pigheadedness. For Sasuke, it was a way of life.

Leaning heavily against the walls, the ninja headed painfully slowly, watching his every step so as not to fall over, for the door on the right. The aching burn spread through his body, its main focus on the legs, as he made an effort to walk by his own power. The overpowering exhaustion crept upon the stubborn man, small rivulets of sweat uncomfortably sliding down his skin and soaking into his hospital pajamas. Sasuke reached the door and twisted the knob. As expected, the door was open and he thankfully stumbled into the private bathroom.

Slumping against the wall right across the mirror, he took an appraising look at his frame. It was trembling from the tiredness, his chest moving spasmodically as he took in laboured breaths, the gripping weakness he felt all over in every cell of his still mostly lethargic body making him instantly angry and disgusted with himself.

His reflection glared at him harshly, sharing the sentiment.

"Sasuke-kun?" a call from the room brought him back to the reality.

Soft padding of feet announced Sakura coming into the bathroom.

"What are you doing out of bed?" she asked, stopping at the threshold, clearly exasperated as if she was dealing with this all the time. Sasuke supposed she did, she was a medic-nin after all. "Get back in here and lay down, you still need rest."

Sasuke bristled. He had had plenty of rest already, a whole year of rest. He purposefully ignored the weak feeling permeating his barely stable frame.

"Sasuke-kun..." she must have caught onto his mood, because she didn't admonish him or try to pressure him into following her instructions. Instead she chose to compromise. "Come on, it's not like I'll just make you lay around. You're recovering from a coma, so I've scheduled exercises for you in the afternoon."

The Uchiha nodded, appeased by this information, and accepted her help on the walk back to the bed. Sakura smiled gently and somehow it made him feel a little lighter, the angry cloud drifting away and evaporating into nothingness.

As promised, after lunch Sakura took him straight to the rehab center. Though Sasuke wasn't very keen on the idea of using the wheelchair to get there, he refrained from making any caustic remarks, too eager to begin some sort of physical activity to waste energy on useless grumbling. The medic led him through series of exercises designed to restore his motor functions and increase the muscle strength. The way he struggled to complete all of them drove the point home about how much he would need to work in order to build himself up and regain his former strength.

Even though her heart called out to him, Sakura bit her lip and schooled her face into a professional, neutral expression, aware that in his current, still fragile state of mind the proud Uchiha would only mistake concern for pity and he never took well to being pitied. She preferred to avoid such a misunderstanding between them so early on.

Sasuke's strong will made him push himself to his limits, so when they were done, he didn't have energy to even lift a finger. Docilely, he let her put him into the wheelchair and transport him back to his hospital room. When he dropped onto the soft, beckoning pillow, he dozed off instantly.

A gentle shaking of his arm woke him up. He blearily looked at the person bold enough to interrupt his slumber and wasn't too surprised to see that it was his personal medic. He wondered just how long did he sleep – maybe five minutes? Felt like an hour.

"Sakura, what is it?" he rasped, annoyed.

"Sasuke-kun, you can't sleep now," she said with a smile tugging at her lips – he looked so cute when he was grumpy and bleary-eyed, his hair sticking out more than usual, though of course she wouldn't say a word about it to him. "I need you to raise your arms," she pulled the edge of his shirt up.

"Why?" Sasuke asked obstinately.

"I'm going to give you a sponge bath," she explained patiently.

He was too tired to argue and wanted to just get it over with, seeing as she would not be swayed to leave it for later. Besides, the sensation of dried up sweat making him all sticky was getting too unpleasant to endure, so he obediently raised his arms and helped her pull the shirt over his head.

Sakura dipped the washcloth in the warm, soapy water and started energetically rubbing the bared skin, washing away the accumulated dirt and bringing the proper circulation back. As she applied the strokes of appropriately hard pressure, similar to a massage, his weary mind wandered, finally focusing a curious gaze on her serious expression. No matter how closely he looked, he couldn't find a single trace of the former admiration she had usually bestowed upon him. There was nothing but a professional indifference on her face, which should have been what was expected but nonetheless for some inexplicable reason didn't really sit well with the Uchiha.

Done with his upper half, Sakura slipped on him a fresh pajama shirt and moved to pull down his sweat-soaked bottoms, however a hand on her wrist stopped her from going through with this.

"Sakura, don't," he glared, daring her to cross the line.

She dared.

"Sasuke-kun, don't be ridiculous, I need to wash your legs," she glared right back at him.

"No, you don't," he ground out, keeping her from yanking his trousers off.

Fed up with his recalcitrant attitude, Sakura easily broke his hold on her wrist and pulled the sleepwear down, exposing literally all of him as he had no underwear on.

"Sakura," he grunted, embarrassed and frustrated. Futilely, he tried to cover himself and preserve what little modesty he had remaining, but she didn't allow him that, wrenching his hands to the sides.

"Honestly, Sasuke-kun," Sakura sighed as she quickly wiped his privates with the washcloth, taking care not to touch him directly, "there's nothing to be ashamed of. Who do you think washed you when you were asleep? I've seen it all so many times I've lost count."

Sasuke gaped for a moment, shocked at her matter-of-fact, forward behaviour, then snapped out of it and averted his eyes. He should have thought about it before. This made so much sense, he was angry at himself for not taking into consideration that she was a medic, therefore used to seeing people naked. Not only was she a medic, she was _his _personal medic. It was to be expected that she had given him baths when he had been in a coma. It was normal. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

He still couldn't muster up the courage to look her in the eye.

Inconspicuously, Sasuke glanced at her face searchingly, a strange, twisting feeling hitting him like a punch in the gut. Her expression, despite his state of exposure and the intimate action of washing him she was performing, stayed perfectly unaffected. It didn't matter to her, he realized with an unexpected bitterness. He was just another patient and she was doing her job which she had done hundreds of times already, nothing else.

The disappointment stung though he didn't really know where it came from. Sasuke balled his hands into fists and pointedly looked out the window.

"All done!" Sakura announced cheerfully and he wanted to sigh out 'Finally', but stubbornly didn't utter anything. She helped him put on the fresh pajama bottoms and efficiently changed his sheets.

Sasuke grunted and didn't protest when she tucked him in. He felt so drained, both physically and emotionally. It didn't even register to him that Sakura bid him goodnight and gently ran her hand through his hair.

He fell asleep, cherry blossom petals swirling in an endless hurricane behind his closed eyelids.

* * *

_AN: Hope you liked the first part of this sequel :) Let's just say in the next chapter there's going to be some serious drama._

_Am I the only one who thinks grumpy Sasuke is cute? Haha._


	3. Awake (2)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Story rating: M for themes

Summary: After Sasuke wakes up from a year in coma.

* * *

**Awake (2)**

**Escalation**

* * *

A week has passed in a relative peace after Sasuke had finally come to terms with the changes in his relationship with Sakura, recognizing them as necessary and unavoidable in the kind of situation he found himself in. It was both strangely liberating and at the same time vexing for him that for the sake of his recovery he had to take on a role of a patient and Sakura his caregiver – liberating because he didn't really have to hide his pain from anyone and even was obligated to report it right on instance. The vexing part... well it stemmed from their past in Team Seven. The care and gentleness she had expressed for him then had been genuine, but now he was certain all she did was out of obligation, not kindness or any real feelings for that matter. The Hokage made a fine choice, assigning Sakura to him. She was professional and unaffected by his presence, showing none of the unease she must have surely felt for someone who had threatened to take her life and destroy all she held dear. Furthermore, if he ever posed a security risk, she would have been the only one among the medics, sans Tsunade herself, to be able to stop him, Sasuke thought, remembering the incredible growth his old teammate had displayed during the war.

Sakura never stayed around for long, leaving him for hours to his own devices especially once he had regained most of the mobility in his hands and arms. She said she had to tend to other patients, but he just knew she couldn't stand being around him. Besides her, the only people he came into contact with in the duration of his hospital stay were the nurses, who didn't talk to him and quickly left when done with whatever task they came for, fleeing from the criminal they undoubtedly knew that he was. In result, even though Sakura brought him some scrolls and magazines, Sasuke couldn't help but feel increasingly bored.

He thought it was a given that the dobe would come as fast as humanely possible to pester him with the incessant chatter or maybe Kakashi would drop by and offer to borrow him that perverted book, however they didn't show up at all. For someone who had repeatedly tried to cut his bonds with them, Sasuke felt surprisingly disappointed about this. When he questioned the glaring lack of visitors, Sakura told him they were out of Konoha on missions and would probably be back by the end of next week.

A knock on the door took Sasuke by surprise as he didn't expect any other guests than his former teammates and Sakura never knocked. A brow was raised when an unfamiliar, plain-looking man entered, carrying an armful of flowers.

"Hello? Is Sakura-san here?" he asked politely, glancing around to found no pink-haired women in sight and one irritated from being disturbed Uchiha glaring from the bed at him.

"What do you want?" Sasuke didn't feel like returning the good manners and got straight to the point in a rather rude tone.

To his displeasure, the man instead of speedily backpedaling out of the room, closed the door and set the flowers on the table.

"I just wanted to give her my thanks for yesterday but she wasn't in her office. A nurse told me she could be here," the man answered truthfully.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Just what did this pitiful loser want to thank her for?

"Sakura doesn't have time for this, she's working," he said blandly.

The intruder waved off the argument dismissively and took a seat on a guest chair, making himself at home without invitation, which only served to further aggravate the seclusive Uchiha.

"She always finds time and she deserves a break if someone wants to show her some appreciation, right?" Sasuke didn't respond in any way, but the man took it as a go ahead and began rambling on. "There's a lot to appreciate about her, her smarts and that great body, of course! Her hair is so shiny, I'd just like to feel it..."

Sasuke tried to tune out the diatribe about Sakura's valors from her fanboy, strangely similar to what a certain Green Beast usually spouted, only without "youth" appearing three times in every sentence, and for the most part he succeeded in not listening. Unable to kick out the yammering man, Sasuke started fantasizing about strangling him, just so he would shut the hell up.

"Sakura-san has such a delicate touch! When I think about my time with her yesterday, it just makes me shiver, it was so great!" the man made disgustingly dreamy eyes.

The implication in his words didn't escape the attentive Uchiha. Sasuke's blood ran ice cold and the mere fantasy of strangling the pest turned into a burning want to make it a reality.

His hand was reaching out to grab the man's collar when the door opened.

"I'm back, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura announced cheerfully and he quickly let his hand fall to the bed sheet as he looked at her. She was daintily holding two white daffodils and he frowned, wondering if it was a gift from another man she had "delicately touched". "Oh, you have a visitor?" she asked, noticing the red flowers and the fanboy making googly eyes at her.

"Sakura-san!" the man shot up to his feet. "It's so good to see you! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Sakura cocked her head questioningly. "You did? There was no need..."

The man snatched the red flowers from the table and thrust them out in her face, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Please, accept these! I know it's not nearly enough, but I have to..."

Sakura held up her hand to stop him, looking uncomfortable with the entire situation. She didn't miss Sasuke's deadly glare directed at them. She supposed he must have been annoyed enough with noise, not to mention that he didn't particularly like strangers.

"Look, can we take it somewhere private? My patient needs rest now," she reasoned, turning to her admirer and missing darkening of Sasuke's scowl.

"Ah, of course, Sakura-san! I know this nice cafe, we can go there and talk!" the man exclaimed happily as she ushered him outside.

"Wait until my lunch break, it'll be soon," Sakura replied offhandedly, then told him to wait near the hospital entrance and closed the door.

The medic grabbed the vase off the table and threw the old, wilted flowers into the trashcan in the corner. Sasuke quietly observed her as she went into the bathroom to change the water.

"Sasuke-kun, I hope he didn't bother you too much?" she asked, coming out and placing the filled vase back on the table. She put the fresh daffodils in it and adjusted their arrangement to her liking.

The Uchiha scowled in annoyance, which was an answer enough. Sakura sighed and checked her watch.

"Well, I have to go. The nurse will bring you lunch. Eat everything on the plate, okay?" she instructed sternly. The hospital food was cooked to help the healthy recovery, not to please the palate, unfortunately, and even though Sasuke wasn't one to complain about something as mundane as a bad taste, she noticed that if he wasn't watched, he would always leave some food on his plate. Sakura laid her hands on her hips and looked at him expectantly. When he slowly nodded in a reluctant compliance, she beamed at him and finally left.

The Uchiha stared out of the window, angry and miserable. She chose to spend time with that infatuated loser over staying with him, her teammate! Sasuke was sure that teammates should rank higher than some idiots with flowers, yet Sakura told him to eat his vegetables like he was a toddler and practically skipped out to meet the other guy without a second glance. Wasn't he important to her anymore?

Brooding over his bruised ego, Sasuke's eyes strayed to the fresh white daffodils she always brought him when he was in the hospital. It was a small prize of consolation, especially when he recalled how she had been regularly visiting Rock Lee after his fight with Gaara, essentially giving the taijutsu specialist the same treatment Sasuke was getting now.

"Tch," the Uchiha frowned sullenly and punched a pillow in his frustration. It didn't ease his mind from these strange thoughts in the least. What in the world was happening to him?

* * *

Sasuke was flipping boredly through one of the magazines Sakura had left for him, when his tedious afternoon was once again interrupted by a knock. He looked with a measure of curiosity at the nurse standing in the doorway. She wasn't the same as the one who had brought him lunch.

"Uchiha-san, you have visitors," she announced.

He closed the magazine, nodding but his eyes narrowed in contempt when he spotted just who deigned to visit him. The two village elders, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, strode into the room confidently – of course, he couldn't snap their necks in his weak state, what did they have to fear, Sasuke sneered inwardly. The nurse closed the door behind them, leaving him alone with the last two of the people he blamed for the Uchiha massacre the most. The loathing he made known was fully reciprocated – the elders shared a look of controlled disgust aimed at him.

The old woman, Koharu, dragged the singular chair paces away from the bed and seated herself primly, Homura hovering on her right. Sasuke didn't miss their cautiousness. They certainly chose a perfect moment for a chat not only because he was still very much incapacitated as a shinobi, but also due to the absence of all the people who gave a damn about him from the village. Even Sakura, his personal medic, was busy elsewhere.

Old bastards planned it well, he had to give it to them.

Sasuke adopted his usual, impassive countenance, fixing them with a casually bored look. He wasn't about to start a conversation with people he considered simply despicable.

The silence thickened.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Koharu finally spoke up, "you're a missing-nin in Konoha's custody. We're here to... discuss... your future."

"Did the Hokage send you?" Sasuke asked evenly.

"No, but she doesn't have to..."

"Then I don't care," he interrupted the old woman bluntly. She frowned angrily, her lips pressed in a tight line of disapproval. Sasuke didn't give a shit. "If you're not sent by the Hokage on official business, go away."

"For an Uchiha clan member, your knowledge of the village politics is appalling," Homura commented mildly, adjusting his glasses. He looked like he was barely resisting from giving a long lecture on the matter. "I assure you, boy, we have enough authority to handle certain village affairs on our own when Tsunade-hime is too busy otherwise."

"Well said," Koharu nodded at her old teammate. "Now, Uchiha Sasuke, do you know of your current position?"

Sasuke remained impassive so as not to give away that he really had no clue whatsoever. He had been for a year in a coma, did that change anything and how?

"I take your silence as a 'no'. Do you want me to tell you?"

He gritted his teeth in annoyance. Crafty old witch, making him ask for information about himself he was entitled to know.

"Yes." An expectant look from her made him add a grudging 'please'.

Koharu looked satisfied with his less than elegant request and moved on. "You were never put on a trial. Frankly, no one even expected you to wake up. Not after the injuries you sustained. However, now it can't wait, the information about your recovery has already reached the other villages. The date is already set.

"In two weeks you, Uchiha Sasuke, will answer for your crimes before the Shinobi Alliance Tribunal."

"Is that all?" Sasuke shrugged, unconcerned. Two weeks... it was a long enough time.

His reaction wasn't what the elders were looking for. Well, if they expected fear, they didn't know him at all.

"The Uchiha arrogance is astounding," Homura shook his head disparagingly. "Do you think turning on your ally, Uchiha Obito, would speak in your favour? You can be as well executed for your brazen attack on the Kage Summit and murder of the temporary Hokage, Shimura Danzo."

"The Uchiha are valuable to Konoha and I'm willing to pledge my loyalty to the village. I've already proven it," Sasuke replied assuredly. As if the Leaf would allow the execution to pass. The Sharingan was too coveted to let go of it just like that. He knew he was at the moment irreplaceable and it gave him additional time to regain trust and bonds he had cast aside for his quest for vengeance.

Koharu smiled for the first time since her arrival. He could see 'conniving' painted all over her face. "Yes, the Uchiha are valuable. However, you are not."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked guardedly.

"Oh, nothing. When you were in coma without any hope for awaking, we were concerned for the future of the Uchiha clan. You are the last one alive, after all."

"What did you do?" Sasuke had a very bad feeling about this but he needed to know. His fists were clenched tightly, a hard stare fixed on the gloating old face of the witch.

"We made you redundant for the revival of the clan. Konoha can have as many Uchihas as we'd like without a need for your cooperation," she explained, savouring every word.

Sasuke's knuckles were white. "What did you do?!" he growled.

"We had the medic collect the semen samples from you." Koharu spelled it out to him. "Don't expect any leniency on the account that you're the last Uchiha, because it's not an issue anymore."

"You!" Sasuke made a motion to get up but didn't have the strength. However, his rage was palpable, saturating the air with the killing intent. "How dare you!"

"Don't take that tone with me, boy!" the old woman snapped, standing up and towering over him. "How dared you betray the village! How dared you ally yourself with our enemies! Your deeds are inexcusable! You thought yourself above the law?! Well, guess again, brat!" she spat out with burning vitriol. "If you stood for what your family had and concentrated on what is really important, not the revenge, Itachi may have lived! With his help in the war, we would have officially absolved him of his crimes and welcomed him back into the village like a hero he was! But instead of our best and brightest shinobi of this generation, we got a comatose, useless criminal! So excuse us for doing what was best for the village and the Uchiha clan!"

"Best for the village?! Best for the Uchiha?!" Sasuke roared. "You greedy, corrupted, two-faced crone! You had the Uchiha exterminated! You had my brother do your dirty work! You..." he shuddered in disgust, "... you had these_ samples _collected! You don't know what 'good' even means, you're worse than Orochimaru!" He breathed deeply after his outburst, glaring at the elders viciously. If only he had the access to his Mangekyo, he would have burned them with Amaterasu.

Before Koharu could retaliate, Homura laid a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. Let the boy think whatever he will. His fate is out of his hands anyway," he advised.

The old woman exhaled and nodded.

Homura turned to the bed-ridden, fierce Uchiha. "In two weeks, the Alliance will make a decision. Until then," he inclined his head only fractionally and both of the elders headed for the door, however it opened before they reached it.

"I'm back, Sasu..." Sakura called out but paused, seeing the esteemed village elders in the room. A sudden feeling of foreboding came upon her as she bowed respectfully. "Koharu-sama, Homura-sama," she greeted. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Ah, Haruno," Koharu recognized right away Tsunade's student. "No, we're just leaving. I trust you can take care of the Uchiha?"

"Yes, of course," Sakura replied, not letting a bit of annoyance that her ability was questioned creep into her voice. She stayed in a subservient position until they filed out, then closed the door and rushed to Sasuke's side.

"Sasuke-kun? What did they want?" she asked but he stared at her unnervingly. He didn't hear her question, the cogs turning in his head.

She had a red flower tucked in her hair.

_Her hair is so shiny, I'd just like to feel it..._

_When I think about my time with her yesterday, it just makes me shiver, it was so great!_

_Look, can we take it somewhere private?_

_We had the medic collect the semen samples from you._

_Who do you think washed you when you were asleep? I've seen it all so many times I've lost count._

_I trust you can take care of the Uchiha?_

_Yes, of course._

"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? What happened?" Sakura asked frantically when he didn't answer, her green eyes big and worried. She reached a hand to shake him gently but suddenly he snapped out of his thoughts and slapped it away.

A hurt look appeared on her face as she cradled her hand. She didn't feel any sort of physical pain, Sasuke was still too weak for his swat to hurt anyone... yet she felt an acute pain, the pain of rejection.

"Sasuke-kun, why..." she uttered but he only glared at her harshly.

"Get. Out," he snarled, his expression twisted in rage as he threw her out coldly. "I don't want to see you again."

Tears pricked at her eyes, but she held them in. Sasuke's killing intent was so potent, so real, giving her a terrifying recollection of Iron Country. His glare didn't let up, all his fury concentrated on her. Sakura swallowed and backed away to the door. She gave him a last worried, hurt look and stepped out.

Outside, Sakura walked so fast, she almost broke into the run, startling the few nurses in the corridors as she headed for her office. Only in its safety she allowed the tears that were brimming in her eyes to cascade down her cheeks. Sakura sank to the floor and curled herself into a protective ball, sobbing wholeheartedly. She felt so wretched.

"Why? What did I do wrong? Sasuke-kun..." she whispered.

In his room, Sasuke was punching his pillow, unable to suppress his rage and pain. Finally, he tossed the pillow at the vase with flowers, which fell off the table and shattered on the floor. He didn't care that he made a mess. His chest was hurting, something in it being mercilessly squeezed and stabbed.

Sakura betrayed him and nothing was right anymore.

* * *

_To be continued..._


	4. Awake (3)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Story rating: M for themes

Summary: After Sasuke wakes up from a year in coma.

* * *

**Awake (3)**

**Empty**

* * *

Sasuke's hospital room changed during these few days. Now it was white, sterile and pristine, all remains of his turmoil removed from it by the attentive, ghost-like nurses. The surface of his bedside table wasn't taken up anymore by the stacks of magazines (_Sakura gave them to him_) and the shattered vase was never replaced (_for there was no one who would bring him fresh flowers, so what was the point?_). It was much quieter (_without Sakura's chatter_), the new medic assigned to him always leaving as soon as possible when they were done with the rehab for a day, and he often found himself sitting in a morose silence, just thinking about (_her betrayal_) nothing in particular.

Sasuke got what he wished for and it was painfully, unbearably empty.

And yet, _her_ gentle presence still lingered. Sometimes, when he woke up, he could sense a faint trace of her – a warmth that hadn't been there earlier. Sometimes, he caught a waft carrying an undercurrent of her comforting scent and, acting on instinct, he would breathe it in deeply, as if to make it stay with him, within him, for longer than just few seconds.

His thoughts obsessively circled around one topic and, surprisingly, it wasn't the impending trial – he could care less and if the elders had aimed to make him sweat about it, they failed – no, it was this new betrayal, this breach of trust that hit him where it hurt the most. How could _she_? He felt violated and bitter, his faith in the ever-lasting team bond he might have still shared with her ripped into ribbons. He couldn't stop imagining how it – this sample taking – had happened. What expression did she wear on her face? Was it coolly disinterested? Maybe slightly disgusted? With her task or with him?

Sasuke groaned and rubbed his temple. Thinking about it was of no use. He didn't even know what the actual medical procedure looked like and there was no way he would ask his medic or any of the nurses. Therefore, he should just forget about this. Too bad there were no distractions to help with that...

A beat after the thought crossed his mind, the door burst open and an orange blur streaked to his bedside with a joyous yell of "Sasuke!" and in an instant the bewildered Uchiha found himself in a bone-crushing hug.

"You stupid teme, you really woke up! You're awake!" the enthusiastic scream right next to Sasuke's ear made it ring. He winced, unused to the noise.

"Dobe, get off me," he gritted out, annoyed but secretly happy to see his knuckleheaded friend. Naruto was nothing if not dependable...

"Don't be so stingy," the blond griped, letting him go and taking a seat on the visitor's chair. Sasuke looked away and pretended not to see the blond wiping tears from his cheek.

"Kakashi," the Uchiha greeted, spotting the masked man in the doorway, along with the replacement guy whose name he couldn't remember. Sensei didn't change at all, though the lack of a book in his hand let Sasuke know just how much this moment of reunion meant to the man.

"Good to see you up, Sasuke," Kakashi gave his trademark eye-smile. The other guy smiled politely, but didn't speak.

"Hey, Sasuke, you remember Sai? He's our teammate," Naruto made a hasty introduction. Sasuke nodded in acknowledgment, disregarding any pleasantries. He understood the necessity of the addition to the team, but it didn't mean that he liked it.

"So," Naruto began cheerfully, "when do you get out of bed? You still owe me a fight."

"You want so much to lose, dobe?" Sasuke replied cockily.

"Ha! There's no chance I'd lose to you, teme. I can take you any time," a familiar spark of a competitiveness appeared in Naruto's eyes.

"If Sakura hears you're fighting in the hospital, she'll be displeased," Sai reminded the blond, who shuddered in terror.

"Oh, right! Where's Sakura-chan? You didn't put her off with your bastardness, teme, right?"

Sasuke almost imperceptibly tensed at the mention of the medic. "She's around," he responded carefully with a shrug.

"I bet you love being her patient! Having Sakura-chan tend to your every need must be pure heaven!" Naruto stated enviously.

Sasuke didn't agree or deny, just looked to the side in a seeming disinterest. He didn't want to discuss this topic.

"Your trial will be soon. What are you going to do, Sasuke?" Kakashi mercifully brought up a more pressing subject.

Although it didn't mean it was a source of any concern to the Uchiha.

"Nothing. There's no point," Sasuke replied indifferently.

"What do you mean 'nothing'? Are you crazy?" Naruto exclaimed, clearly upset with Sasuke's nonchalant dismissal of the issue. "You should plead your case! Do you want to be stuck in a prison for life?!"

The heated outburst was met with a stubborn silence.

"Hey, teme, I'm talking to you."

"I think you should let him be, Naruto," Sai advised. "If he wants to do nothing, it's his choice."

"But, but! Sasuke! What is wrong with you?! Does Sakura-chan know about this?"

Sasuke didn't plan on answering but his lips moved on their own.

"It's none of her business," he stated unexpectedly harshly.

Naruto opened his mouth to start another rant, but Sai spoke first.

"I think I have an 'I told you so' moment. I told Sakura she's wasting her time caring for such an ungrateful man. Instead of heeding my words, she stayed by your side, bypassed a chance to become a jonin and stopped going on missions with us. Even as a vegetable, you were just more trouble than you're worth. I don't understand why did she bother."

Sasuke stared at his replacement, shocked at what these vehement words conveyed.

"You're lying," he accused. It had to be a lie. Sakura who didn't care, wouldn't give up so much for him, so it had to be a lie.

"Actually, Sai's telling the truth," Kakashi said. "Sakura made some great personal sacrifices to stay here and take care of you. She specifically requested a full-time job at the hospital as your personal medic. I think that from all of us, you were the person she saw the most this year."

Sasuke couldn't find words. And then Naruto demolished his flawed assumptions completely.

"Yeah, it was the only place we could ever see her! All this time, she believed that you would wake up and she didn't want to miss it! She cares so much about you, so don't you ever say what happens to you is none of her business!"

Sakura... asked to be his medic?

She... didn't want to leave his side?

She... always believed he would wake up?

Sasuke's head was swimming in doubts and questions. His team wouldn't lie to him, so... Sakura must have still cared for him as a teammate. But...

"Her behaviour around me contradicts it all."

"How so?" Kakashi questioned wryly.

"Seriously, how can you say that? It's Sakura-chan, of course she cares," Naruto added, giving him an odd look.

"Not like she used to." With this confession, Sasuke felt uncomfortable all of a sudden.

The three teammates looked at him disbelievingly.

"You should have your eyes checked," Sai suggested brightly. "I heard Sharingan may cause an incurable blindness." He held out a hand before Sasuke's face. "How many fingers do you see?"

Sasuke scowled and turned away, insulted.

Naruto laughed boisterously.

* * *

Whether he liked it or not, the team's visit gave Sasuke something to think about. Was he wrong in his conclusions? Was his doubt in Sakura's loyalty unfounded? In the end, it was a matter of choosing whose words he should trust more – words of the decrepit, old fossils or of his team and there was really no competition between these two options.

Sasuke found himself frustrated, though mostly with himself. What if he had made a mistake he would never be able to undo? But, what if he was right and Sakura had really betrayed him? Naruto said that he hadn't seen her a lot this year, so there was no guarantee she hadn't changed.

One thing was certain – Sasuke needed to learn the truth.

* * *

It was a middle of the night and this part of the hospital – the labs – was devoid of life, the workers long finished for the day. Sasuke hobbled unsteadily on his crutches, still getting used to them but nonetheless thankful he had them in his room in preparation for walking lessons tomorrow. If someone caught him he could say he wanted an early start.

Turning the corner and leaning against the wall for a short respite, the Uchiha eyed the inconspicuous, numbered white door. There was no nameplate saying what was behind it, but he knew it was definitely his destination, the information coming from an unsuspecting nurse he had tricked with the Sharingan.

Sasuke walked up to the door and unlocked it (the key also the courtesy of the nurse). Cautiously, he slipped inside, scanning for traps with his Sharingan and detecting none, quickly deactivated the bloodline limit. Even after such a short use he felt a significant drain on his pitiful reserves.

He slid the door closed and switched on the lights, which blinded him for a moment. The room was big and spacious, without any windows, rows of fridges gleaming metallically in the artificial light. The records were situated to the right against the wall and he headed for them immediately. Looking through the drawers, it didn't take a genius to figure out that the files were organized in an alphabetical order by patient's name. Sasuke skimmed to the 'U' section. His family name was right at the beginning. Surprisingly, given the secrecy of the Uchiha clan, there was an abundance of samples taken from them, mostly blood, though he saw also mentions of a lung or liver tissue. To his relief, there was absolutely nothing about the eyes.

Finally, Sasuke reached the file with his name, opened it gingerly and started reading. The oldest sample they had was his blood – even from before he had left the village. The rest had been all taken during the past year. He was nonplussed to learn that from all the Uchiha clansmen, he was the provider of a most diverse collection of tissues – skin, muscle, internal organs, bone. What all of this was needed for – he had no clue. As if to confirm his previous suspicions, the medic listed as the one who had taken all of these was Sakura.

The most recent entry was the one he was looking for – the semen sample. The date of extraction – six months ago. And the name of the medic...

Michikata. Not Haruno.

Sasuke looked at the paper intently, the tension leaving him, replaced by some other, uncomfortably heavy emotion. He had an irrefutable proof of Sakura's innocence but it didn't ease his mind, instead bringing him a different kind of dark, brooding thoughts. He remembered his harsh words to her, how he had thrown her out when she had only wanted to help him, and he felt disgusted with himself. How could he have ever doubted her? Why did he always have to hurt those who cared about him? Didn't he learn anything after Itachi?

Sasuke stuffed the file back in its place and shut the drawer with a little more force than it was necessary. Then he went along the rows to locate the fridge containing the pieces of his flesh.

The more apt name would be a refrigerator than a fridge, as he found out when he opened it, the arctic temperature inside making him shiver. However, he ignored the minor discomfort and surveyed the containers labeled with his name.

The semen sample was at the very back of the shelf. Sasuke grasped the small jar through his sleeve to avoid frostbite and took it out...

It was empty.

* * *

_To be continued..._


	5. Awake (4)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Story rating: M for themes

Summary: After Sasuke wakes up from a year in coma.

* * *

**Awake (4)**

**Verdict**

* * *

Sasuke was standing in the middle of a street and soaking up the warm sun rays. The trial went in his favour – he was pardoned on account of his redemption and the aid he had given to the Shinobi Alliance during the final battle of the Fourth War.

Now he was a free man.

All was well.

His feet moved by themselves, taking him on a stroll through the village. He didn't give it much thought – he could do whatever he pleased and go wherever he wanted, after all.

Next thing he knew, he was in the hospital. They said they needed to give him a checkup and he didn't argue. Only when two burly male nurses grabbed him, he began struggling, however it was useless. They strapped him to a bed tightly and left him alone, though not for long.

The door swung open and the elders marched in triumphantly.

"What do you want from me now?" Sasuke spat.

"Be thankful, Uchiha. In just a few months, you're going to be a father," Koharu cackled, Homura echoing her with his own senile chortle.

Sasuke's blood ran cold. "I didn't agree to any of this!"

"And we don't care, Uchiha."

"You already have what you wanted. Leave me alone," Sasuke growled threateningly.

"You're wrong. This is only the beginning," Koharu replied and clapped her hands. Immediately, the door opened again and Sakura came in, wearing indecent nurse's outfit straight from an Icha Icha movie. She held an empty jar without a lid.

"Collect a sample," the old witch ordered the medic.

"What! Didn't you collect enough of that?" Sasuke renewed his frantic struggles, straining against the straps keeping him on the bed, but they held on.

"Yes, Koharu-sama," Sakura said robotically and swiftly approached his wriggling form. Her face showed perfect indifference to his person, not a speck of emotion beside faint boredom detectable to him.

"Sakura, stop it! Don't listen to them!" Sasuke called to her pleadingly but she ignored him, instead tugging his pants off.

"Procedure number two-one-oh-three-two. Begin extraction," she stated flatly.

"Sakura, no!"

"_... suke-kun..."_

"_Sasuke-kun..."_

"Sasuke-kun! Wake up!"

With a gasp, Sasuke's eyes flew open, only to meet a velvety darkness. His chest was rising and falling rapidly with the erratic shaky breaths he was taking. His skin felt clammy and moist with sweat.

A warm hand rested gently on his forehead and emitted a think stream of soothing green chakra. In the weak illumination, Sasuke could barely make out features of the nightly visitor, however the clean scent of that reminded him of peaches couldn't be mistaken for anyone else's.

"Sakura?..."

"Shhh," she took away her hand and he instantly missed the reassuring touch. "It was just a nightmare, Sasuke-kun. Go back to sleep."

She made a motion to get up and leave his bedside and he absolutely couldn't allow that to happen, not when they were finally alone. A hand quickly closed around her wrist in an unrelenting grasp.

"Stay," he rasped out, this one word carrying much more meaning than it was supposed to. It felt as if it didn't refer just to the situation at hand.

He honestly didn't know what to expect from her, however he still felt surprised and relieved all at once when she acquiesced.

"I... alright," Sakura murmured softly and sat down in a chair.

Sasuke didn't release his hold. He could barely see her in the velvety darkness and the physical contact ensured that she wasn't a figment of his imagination. It comforted him how she didn't try to break out of his grasp. Her willingness to stay and keep him company gave him hope that all wasn't lost between them, that there was a chance to repair what was damaged by his rash, hurtful words.

Without conscious thought to guide his actions, Sasuke changed his hold on her hand, taking it in his own and interlacing their fingers.

"Sakura... I..." he began tentatively, then stopped, desperately searching for the right words to apologize and coming up empty. "I'm sorry."

Her expression was hidden behind the veil of darkness. She didn't say anything, not giving any indication whether she even heard him or not. Only her warm hand and the subtle sounds of her breathing let him know that she was still there.

Sasuke sighed, frustrated with himself. Why was it so hard? Simple sorry felt outright inadequate to the injustice he had committed. It didn't ease his guilt and shame. He wanted, _needed_, to do more.

Sakura gasped when he pressed his lips gently against the back of her hand, still intertwined with his own. The contact was brief yet meaningful.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said sincerely.

It still wasn't enough...

"I forgave you a long time ago, Sasuke-kun," she replied softly and stroked his forehead, a medical technique putting him back to sleep, this time peaceful and uninterrupted by nightmares. In the momentary green glow, Sasuke glimpsed her smile.

* * *

In the remaining few days until his trial Sasuke was tirelessly practicing walking with crutches, because he would be damned before appearing in the court before all these Kages on a wheelchair. He also endured numerous visits from his team, though to his chagrin the one who came by most often was the replacement guy. He understood that Naruto and Kakashi were busy with convincing the Alliance leadership not to kill him, but the lack of Sakura's presence annoyed him even more. What excuse did she have? Didn't he apologize and she forgave him? Or was it just a dream? Sasuke found that he couldn't be too sure about it, but the memory of her warm touch and tender smile felt so real, he wanted to believe it had happened.

The day of the trial began with one big annoyance he had never imagined he would have the displeasure to meet again.

"End of snoring, Uchiha! This is your big day!" one Yamanaka Ino woke him up in a sing-song voice.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sasuke asked uncharitably, blinking blearily at the blonde.

"What? No 'long time no see'? Tsk, remember your manners, Uchiha, it'll be useful in the court," she admonished him, clucking her tongue. "I'm here to make sure you'll be presentable and respectful before the Kages. Now, start getting ready! Chop chop!" she clapped her hands.

Sasuke grunted in annoyance with her too bright demeanor so early in the morning and got up.

"Why you?" he had to pose the question.

"Obviously, because I'm smart, powerful and beautiful!" Ino boasted and he just rolled his eyes at her. She put a finger on her chin as if remembering something. "Well, and because Sakura asked me to."

"Sakura? Where is she?" his curiosity was sparked by the name of his absent (_for too long_) teammate.

Ino regarded him with unexpected seriousness, her gaze searching his face for hidden agenda. He responded with a blank look. "Probably home, also getting ready," she finally answered and there was a twinkle in her blue eyes. "What, did you miss her a lot?"

Sasuke ignored the blonde's teasing tone and headed for the bathroom.

"Wait!" she called out and handed him a bundle of clothes. "Change into these. I'll be waiting here."

Sasuke took the clothes without a word.

A short while later, he emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and donning the new attire. Ino whistled in approval. "Still looking good, eh?" she commented.

Indeed, clad in a plain black formal kimono, Sasuke cut a fine figure. He was also rather pleased, though it had nothing to do with vanity but with the Uchiha emblem sewn on the back of his outfit.

"Sakura made a good choice with this kimono. It fits perfectly," Ino voiced out loud.

A small smile pulled on Sasuke's lips, which he hid by turning his face to look out the window. The mental images of Sakura personally picking out these clothes for him and stitching the Uchiha fan on their back filled him with a pleasant warm feeling he wasn't accustomed to. Yet, he now kind of wanted to get used to this.

Ino threw him a new pair of sandals which he slid on his feet and they headed out. The very moment Sasuke stepped over the threshold of his room, he was surrounded by a larger escort of ninjas he was familiar with – Rock Lee, Tenten and Shino. The Uchiha raised an eyebrow.

"Not taking any chances, I see?" he commented sardonically, his gaze resting on their full gear. If he wanted to pull an escape, they would have just provided him with quite a lot of useful equipment. Fortunately for them, he didn't plan on going anywhere.

"It's never wise to underestimate one's opponent, even an injured one," Shino remarked coolly.

"Yosh! Now that Sasuke-san is here, we can go and fight a youthful battle for his freedom!" Lee exclaimed in his usual flamboyant fashion, stealing attention from Shino, who then became withdrawn, sulking.

"Lee, it's not a battle for his freedom, we're just going to the court," Tenten replied with a shake of her head, all too used to tempering her teammate's displays of youth.

"Then it's a verbal battle!"

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get going," Ino interjected, before Lee went off on a tangent again.

All of them nodded. Thankfully, no one offered to help Sasuke, the skillful way in which he operated his crutches being enough to convince them of his mobility. As they traversed through the village, Sasuke was struck by just how normal his old comrades were around him compared to other people they passed by. He had genuinely expected them to scorn him for his past deeds, however there was no trace of resentment in any of them. They didn't even seem concerned about the threat he might present, which was not only a testament to their incredible growth as ninjas, but also to their willingness to accept him back in their midst. With this realization, Sasuke felt as if a huge load was taken off his shoulders and a sudden lightness entered his steps.

The trial was held in a large hall in the Hokage's tower. The Five Kages and Mifune took the central, elevated position at the long table. Sasuke didn't pay any attention to them even though they were the ones to decide his fate soon, sparing a cursory glance in their direction as his eyes relentlessly searched for a flash of pink amongst the crowd that has already gathered to witness the proceedings. Sasuke spotted Naruto, Kakashi and Sai and nodded to them distractedly, his gaze roaming still.

The seats to the both sides of the room were almost all taken but Sakura was nowhere in sight. Finally, she hurriedly walked out of the backroom and deposited some papers before the Hokage, then rushed over to Naruto and sat next to him. Sasuke followed her every move, greedily drinking in her slight figure dressed in her usual red top, black shorts and pink skirt. Oddly, only now he noticed how good she looked in red.

Sakura must have sensed someone observing her intently, because she abruptly turned, her narrowed green eyes softening as they met his own dark ones. She gave him a quick once-over, apparently worried about his health, then hesitantly smiled. In response, his lips twitched upwards in an awkward attempt at a smile. In this moment, just between the two of them, passed a specific brand of silent communication.

Tsunade cleared her throat and called the court for attention. Reluctantly, Sasuke tore his gaze away from the seats, his eyes still lingering on his whole team. They all gathered there for him, even Sai who barely knew him, hopeful that they would finally have him back and their bonds with him would be restored. Kakashi gave him an eye-smile, Naruto put his thumbs up in show of support and Sakura nodded, all of them sporting a determined look that told him that they would never give up on him.

Sasuke turned to the front and faced the judges, his shoulders squared, a confident smirk tugging slightly at the corners of his lips.

Whatever the verdict would be, he was ready. His team was there and they had his back.

That was all he really needed.

* * *

**Epilogue**

It was a quiet Sunday morning two weeks after the trial. Sasuke had been finally discharged from the hospital with a clean bill of health. Though he still had a long way to go before regaining his full strength, his recovery was going so well that he could move around without the crutches already. For a coma patient, with his fast healing he was breaking all records, as Sakura hadn't omitted to tell him with a proud grin.

The smile he had given her back stayed reflexively in place long after he left the hospital, causing some people he had passed by a painful whiplash, but soon it was replaced by a somber expression as he neared his chosen destination. Sasuke regarded the heavy, steel gates and entered the cemetery. This one visit was long overdue.

The Uchiha stopped in his tracks when he saw two familiar, but unwelcome faces standing in front of his family's graves. His hands balled into the fists as he rushed, outraged by the gall of these people.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Utatane Koharu greeted him calmly as if she hadn't threatened him with execution the last time they had seen each other. Her companion, elder Homura also didn't seem concerned with Sasuke's presence there, acknowledging him with a brief nod before becoming absorbed with lighting the incense sticks around the graves. The ones which were already burning released a soothing, herbal scent.

"What. Are you doing. Here," Sasuke bit out, barely restraining himself from adding a few choice expletives to show how much he wanted them gone and out of his sight. He couldn't swear there, not in the place where his family was buried.

"What does it look like? We're paying our respects, boy," Koharu snorted, unimpressed with how unobservant he appeared to be at the moment. She bent to adjust the large wreath of red and white chrysanthemums shaped into the Uchiha crest. The old woman caressed the delicate flower petals, then straightened up with loud creaking in her joints and spine.

Sasuke watched mutely as the elders stood side by side, bowing their heads in prayer for the souls of the departed.

"You gave the order to kill them. Why are you here, then?" he asked when they finished.

This time it was Homura who answered him.

"Do you know how old are we? We're Sandaime's teammates. For most of our lives the Uchiha clan was loyal. Dependable. They were the pride of Konoha," the words were measured, sincerity resounding through them. "We knew many of them personally. We watched them serve the village faithfully, willing to bleed and die for its safety and prosperity. The Uchiha were our trusted comrades..." the elder fixed Sasuke with a hard stare, "... and they betrayed our trust." The sliver of pain in his eyes was real and startlingly familiar. "But... they still deserve to be remembered for all the good they had done."

"I still ask myself where did we go wrong?" Koharu spoke with a sad frown, her gaze focused on the silent graves. All the spite Sasuke knew her for vanished and now she just looked like a very tired, very old woman. She sighed. "So useless... Nothing can be undone now."

Homura put a supporting hand on her arm and they turned to leave.

"Wait," Sasuke called suddenly. "What did you do with that sample? It's not in the hospital."

Koharu looked amused by his entirely serious question.

Homura coughed awkwardly. "I think you should ask your teammate about it."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The day we visited you in the hospital, Haruno-san came to us and threatened us with excessive bodily harm if we didn't tell her about our conversation with you."

"The girl said that she'd rip our arms off and beat us with them to death," Koharu added drily.

At this piece of news, a large smirk spread on Sasuke's face. "I see," he replied, the last dregs of hostility he harboured towards the elders dissipating into nothing.

"Well then," Homura nodded.

"Goodbye, Uchiha Sasuke. Uphold your legacy and cherish your friends and we hopefully won't have to see each other any time soon," Koharu gave the last bit of advice.

The elders walked off, exchanging only brief greetings with the incoming pink-haired medic-nin.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura waved to him and strode closer. "Is everything fine? Did they bother you?"

Sasuke looked away, uncomfortable under her worried look. "No, we just talked."

"About?" Sakura prodded gently.

Sasuke gazed at the gravestones of his clan, decorated with the beautiful wreath and surrounded by the pleasant scent of incense. The granite was regularly cleaned as shown by how it reflected the sun off its polished surface. "The Uchiha clan..." he answered.

"If they threatened you again, I swear..."

"Sakura," he cut her off abruptly, before she began an angry rant. Sasuke turned to her and she was stunned by the warmth in his eyes as he regarded her. "Thank you... for everything."

There were too many things he had to thank her for. Her caring, her smile, her just being there for him... He still couldn't express his feelings beyond the simplest of words and so he had to hope that would be enough.

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura choked on a sob, overcome with happiness, then made a split-second decision and threw her arms around his neck in a fierce embrace. With her cheek pressed to his shoulder, she whispered, "Thank you for coming back, Sasuke-kun."

He didn't say anything and he didn't really need to. His arms wrapped around her tightly were enough of an answer.

* * *

**Awake/End**

* * *

_AN: You won't believe how long I agonized over the trial before deciding not to write about it at all. However, this is the end. Next story will be a oneshot with one hundred percent more romance!_

_I have a tumblr, though I mostly post the information about the updates there. Link is in my profile. If you have any questions, just PM me or contact me there._


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